Do You Need Hurricane Insurance?

Published: September 29, 2014

In our post, What is Covered Under My Homeowner’s Insurance Policy? we briefly discussed what is generally covered by a typical homeowner’s policy. Even though it has been a quiet one, we are still in the middle of hurricane season, so we thought we’d talk a little bit about what kind of hurricane damage is covered by a typical homeowner’s policy.

Hurricane claims in regard to your homeowner’s insurance can be tricky because a hurricane can be damaging in multiple ways to multiple types of property. Most types of homeowners insurance should include wind damage coverage, although homeowners who live in hurricane-prone areas often have to purchase a special windstorm policy.

Most property insurance policies provide coverage for losses resulting from hurricanes, except for flood loss associated with the hurricane.Water damage is something else entirely and is only covered by a flood policy, which must be purchased separately. There are two types of flood insurance. One covers structural damage to the building and the other covers damage to personal property, like furniture, clothing, and electronics. If rising water damages or takes out your fence or deck, flood insurance will not cover those losses. Nor will it cover the loss of extremely valuable belongings, like fine art or expensive jewelry.

The 2014 hurricane season has been fairly quiet so far, but it isn’t over until the end of November. While we’re still in the middle of it, it’s a good idea to take a look at your insurance policies and make sure you’re covered in case of a major storm. And remember: By the time the weatherman tells you that big storm is coming, it’ll be too late to purchase extra insurance. Be prepared before the storm starts to brew.

It’s always best to make sure you speak your insurance agent to make sure that you know what’s covered under your policy.

J.K. Olivieri Insurance Agency, Inc. is an independent insurance agency founded in 1979 which represents a number of major insurance companies. Our mission is to protect our clients’ financial future. We feel our role as an insurance agency is to assist our clients in selecting the best possible programs to fill their specific needs. In doing so, we shall research and present our clients with the best possible programs available at the best possible prices.